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User blog:GAim4A/Cassette Tapes for Metal Gear Solid V
__TOC__ OCELOT’S BRIEFING 1 British Sovereign Base Area - Dhekelia Ocelot: You were hospitalized in Dhekelia, a British Sovereign Base Area on Cyprus. It's part of British Overseas Territory that falls outside of Cypriot jurisdiction. You got moved from Cuba's Little America right into Cyprus' Little Britain. Ahab: Why Dhekelia? Ocelot: The U.K. and the U.S. remain close allies. The last place Cipher would think look for you is inside their own system. That's what kept you safe in a British military hospital for nine years. The safest place from a whale is inside its own belly - you were a regular Geppetto. Ahab: Well, it wasn't Pinocchio that led me cut to safety. So, who was that guy...? Ocelot: Cipher went so far as to attack British territory, burning their own ally. That's how badly they wanted you dead. Cyprus, a Nation Divided Ahab: You said I was in a British military hospital. But the doctor had a Greek accent. Ocelot: They hire locally - easier to trust them. Dhekelia is also home to Greek Cypriots after all. Ahab: What about the Turks? They haven't returned to the south? Ocelot: Not yet - the Cyprus dispute is still a long way from resolved. The country is just as split as it was in '74 - Turkish Cypriots in the north, Greek Cypriots in the south, and between then the Green Line the U.N. established. Ahab: And Dhekelia sits right on top of it... Ocelot: It does. Part of the buffer zone between the two groups. Another reason it was the perfect place to hide you - easy to spot any outsiders snooping around. Ahab: So how do things stand? Ocelot: Last year, the Turks declared that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is an independent state, though. it's only Turkey that recognizes it. In the past, the Greeks and Turks lived side by side in the same villages. Their reasons to fight? Those came from the outside. Greece, Turkey, Britain, America... They all had their own stake in pitting the two sides against each other. But once you spark something like this, it's impossible to control. Both sides build up grudges like debt, without the foresight to see that each act of revenge just fans the flames. And then it's too late for other nations to rush in with peace talks - the embers keep on, smoldering. Each nation's arrogance only breeds anarchy. The world is paralyzed by this hunger for revenge. Cyprus is no different. The Route to Afghanistan Ocelot: You're up. Ahab: We're changing ships? Ocelot: Now we can't go sailing the Suez in a whaler. Ahab: The Suez Canal... when did they reopen it? Ocelot: Not long after you were attacked. Once they finished sweeping it for mines after the Arab-Israeli conflict. Can you stand? We're going to transfer to a container ship for passage through the Suez. Our destination is Pakistan, Afghanistan's neighbor to the south. There. we disembark and head via Peshawar to the Zero Line - the border. We'll travel to the Khyber Pass by road. Ahab: And then? Ocelot: We continue on horseback. Afghanistan's main roads are under Soviet control. We'll need to go around them. It'll be all narrow, winding paths through the mountains. We'll do better on horseback. It's a local guerrilla tactic. They use the high ridges to avoid air recons. then they charge down the mountains for ambushes. The Soviets still haven't devised a counter strategy. Our time frame is only half as much as we really need. It's going to be a tough march. Ahab: Better horses than boats. Ocelot: Well, it'll make for good physiotherapy. Take the time to get used to that new arm. World Affairs Over the 9 Years Radio: While the Soviets have indicated they are not participating in the Los Angeles Olympics primarily because “the United States has made no attempt to guarantee the safety of the Soviet Union's athletes.” the United States is increasingly demonstrating the belief that the issue has nothing to do with its preparations, and in fact this is retaliation for the Western nations' boycott of the previous Moscow Olympics. That concludes today's news. Ahab: That's quite some news. Ocelot: The Soviet Union mof attending the L.A. Olympics? Yeah. Andropov's death has changed some things. They're calling it revenge for the Western boycott of the Moscow Olympics. Ahab: Countries boycotted the Moscow Olympics? Ocelot: Yes, in protest of the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan. Over 50 countries were absent. It's too bad I didn't set to see Yamashita's judo. When the 40th Army crossed the Amu River 4 years ago, détente went right out the window. The U.S. Congress chose not to ratify SALT II, and Reagan's hardline politics him the presidency in a landslide. According to him, the Soviet Union's “an evil empire.” Ahab: A second Cold War. Ocelot: And there's been no end to regional conflicts and civil wars. Lebanon, the Falklands, Grenada, Iran, Iraq... The story never changes. Egypt and Israel did sign a peace treaty. But then the driving force on the Egyptian side, President Sadat, was assassinated afterward. Apparently his actions were considered a betrayal of his fellow Arabs. Ahab: Islamic extremists? Ocelot: Yes. Fundamentalist extremists have been responsible for some bold acts of terrorism in recent years. We've had extremist students in Iran take U.S. embassy workers hostage, and suicide bombings in Lebanon. Over 300 foreign soldiers stationed there have been killed. But countries have yet to develop an effective means of dealing with terrorism. Afraid of losing their own men. they’ve pulled their forces out, handing private forces a golden opportunity. Ahab: Private forces? Ocelot: Small armies with no national affiliation, working for the highest bidder... that's right. they got the idea from you. After Mother Base went down, they began spreading to meet the soaring demand. Miller's organization is just one of many PFs now. The entire world is after you. But at the same time. it needs you too. What Happened In The Caribbean 9 Years Ago Ocelot: Miller told me about what happened in the Caribbean nine years ago. You do remember Miller? You'd formed a private army with him. An army with no allegiance to a nation. Ahab: I remember, but... Ocelot: I see… You're not sure what's fact and what's a… fantasy caused by the coma? It's still all a mess, huh. All I can do is tell you the facts as they were told to me. I've gone easy on you' up until now, but this is where the hard stuff begins. 1974, the year before you entered your coma. You were in Colombia, operating with a small unit of men... basically mercenaries. Miller was among them. Miller was trying to find a way to turn his and your “talents" into a line of work. He was looking to start a business where you would fight on behalf of others around the world - those who needed military force. But the reality was, at that time you didn't even have enough gear to equip your own men. Then, Miller came across this client. It was a huge job he was offering. but you had a shot at pulling it off. You accepted it, and headed into Costa Rica. The client even threw in an offshore facility in the Caribbean - the "Mother Base' that would be your new base of operations. Miller sure did have a head for business. As your mission went on, your grew and grew. More weapons, more money... And before you knew it, you were commanding 300 men. As the organization got bigger, your military power swelled to match. It got so that the international community couldn't afford to ignore you. You were just too damn successful for your own good. The Strike Force: After The Attack Ocelot: You - your men - had worn out your welcome. Everyone was out for you. East, West, first world, third... It was only a matter of time before someone took you down - and that was XOF. Officially, they're an anti-terror unit under the CIA. In reality, they're Cipher's private strike force. They lured you to Cuba using Chico, the Nicaraguan revolutionary kid, and Paz, a mole who worked for Cipher as bait. While you were gone, XOF - posing as a nuclear inspection team - stormed Mother Base. At the same time, C4 they'd placed on the strut legs went off. The whole thing went down in minutes. XOF... kisses and hugs followed by a big "F" you. All because of Miller's blind spot - a back door into Mother Base no one suspected. You remember a certain... scientist? Huey was responsible for bringing the "inspection team" on board. Giving the enemy a perfect opportunity to hit you at home. You were returning from Cuba when it happened... Mother Base came damn close to taking you with it into the Caribbean. Those of your men out on assignment returned right away. They refused to believe the wreckage in the water they found was Mother Base. But they checked the coordinates - again and again - until reality finally settled in. You were supposed to die that day - that was XOF's primary objective. As far as most folks know, you did. The first doctor to see you wasn't even sure what he was looking at... Before they'd even finished operating, your men moved you to that hospital in Cyprus. It was a woman named EVA who arranged that... Rings a bell, hmm? Most men in your condition would have been written off right from the start. But you survived. You went straight down to hell... and they pulled you out, your eye wide open. Full of venom. The days of Naked Snake are long gone. Welcome back, Venom Snake. This world still needs you. After-Effect of Snake’s Coma Ocelot: Here Snake, try this on. Ahab: A prosthetic arm? Ocelot: Miller was calling it "the arm that wasn't there." The physiotherapy's going well. Your arm's bulked up enough for it to fit. Ahab: There. Perfect. Ocelot: A little time with it and it’ll work better than the real thing. What do you think? Ahab: I can still feel my real arm. Ocelot: Well, you'd better get used to this one quick. You have any pain? Ahab: Every now and then... Ocelot: Where? Ahab: ...My fingertips. My left fingertips. Ocelot: Sounds like phantom pain. Your brain still remembers your old hand. Ahab: Yeah. Ocelot: What about your vision? Can you see okay? Ahab: Yeah, at the moment. Ocelot: The shrapnel in your skull is pressing on your optic nerve. I'm told any hard impact could have an effect on your visual cortex. Ahab: Yeah, the doctor mentioned that. Ocelot: Your brain might process visual information incorrectly - in other words, you could have hallucinations. You might see things that aren't there, or not see things as they really are. You experienced any of that? Ahab: I think so. Ocelot: When? Ahab: Right after I wake up. Colors look faded. Ocelot: Colors, huh... That's not a major concern in and of itself, but it could mean the difference between life and death in the field. You'll need to watch out for that. Ahab: I will. Ocelot: All right, you should continue your physio. We'll be arriving soon. This is the last chance you'll get. OCELOT’S BRIEFING 2 The Moniker Shalashaska Ahab: Ocelot, I hear they've started calling you Shalashaska in Afghanistan. What's that about? Ocelot: You know the term "sharashka"? It's slang for a suspicious, hastily-thrown-together organization. The word became associated with a type of forced labor facility in the Soviet Gulag system. OKB scientists and engineers who'd been convicted of crimes were sent to a sharashka for forced R&D. The sharashkas were supervised by Lavrenty Beria of the NKVD - the secret police - under the official name "4th Special Department." Ahab: Forced research? Ocelot: That's not very different from what we do here. Diamond Dogs is different. Everyone here believes in you. Regardless of where they came from or why they're here, they revere you, and they're fighting because it was their choice. Ahab: And if it wasn't, they'd leave? Ocelot: Who knows? That's our reality here, whether it's real or not. If there's another truth, I don't want to know it. All that matters is, that's the concept that's taken shape in their heads. The traces of a group ideology, our superstructure, to put it in Marxist terms. Ahab: All right. Go on. Ocelot: Right. So anyway, at some point the enemy started calling me "Sharashka." This was after the war in Afghanistan broke out. While I was keeping an eye on you in that hospital, I was also heading up interrogations here. The men l broke gave up their comrades and families, everything they wanted to protect the most. No real cause for it. I just let myself get caught up in the old Russian pride. And suddenly I received the "honor" of becoming "special interrogation adviser to the forced labor camps." But the more men I interrogated, the more people saw me as just that - the interrogator. It helped cover my real objective of keeping you safe. Ahab: You went that far for me? Ocelot: Far enough to keep you alive. I ended up being pretty well-known among the Afghan guerrillas. Some of them would have seen me on the battlefield. And that's how I got the second half of the name. "Shashka" - it's a sword, a type of sabre from the Caucasus. Russian Dragoons and Cossacks carried them into battle. Now, the Russian Empire had a general by the name of Fyodor Arturovich Keller. His bravery earned him the nickname 'Russia’s Greatest Shashka.” Someone must have known about that... Because somewhere along the line, shashka got stuck on the end of sharashka. The guerrillas were using the name amongst themselves, and by the time I got to hearing about it, the pronunciation had wound up as "Shalashaska.” Ahab: So half gulag, half hero's sword. It's a perfect fit. Ocelot: But you see how rumors and ideas about people can get out of hand fast. Once you create a character and put it out there in the public mind, it warps and twists with every baseless rumor. And before you know it, all people see are phantoms. In my case it works out just fine. I'm plenty used to working under aliases. OCELOT’S BRIEFING 3 SALT II Ahab: So SALT II still hasn't gone into effect. Ocelot: That treaty was drawn up to limit not just the size of the U.S. and Soviet Union's nuclear arsenals, but also their delivery systems, the whole deal. Just when we thought all those years of negotiations had paid off, somebody decides to invade Afghanistan. The timing couldn't have been worse. Ahab: The President was in the middle of the SALT II talks back then. Ocelot: Meanwhile you were busy trying to stop Peace Walker? I heard. President Ford was meeting with the General Secretary in Vladivostok. In his absence, the political brass in America detected what they didn't realize was false nuclear launch data from Peace Walker, and were on the verge of ordering a retaliatory nuclear strike. Ahab: Coldman's big idea - "Humans are incapable of destroying themselves"? Turns out he never knew what humans are capable of. Ocelot: If that A.I., I mean, The Boss hadn't found a way to stop the fake data transmission, they probably would have gone ahead with the launch. Ahab: Deterrence was revealed as the pipe dream it was. Ocelot: All thanks to you, and her. The U.S./Soviet talks looked set to fall through. What happened in Nicaragua no doubt helped trigger a change of heart. But in the end... Ahab: The times define the politics. When you've grabbed their tail, they turn and bite your hand. Meeting Ocelot, and the Formation of a Certain Organization Ocelot: I first met you twenty years ago now. The place was Tselinoyarsk, in the Soviet Union. We were enemies. I was with the GRU, you were still fighting for America. 1964, Operation Snake Eater... Its objective, the assassination of the legendary soldier known as "The Boss." When you returned hone successful, they awarded you the title "Big Boss." Your CO, Zero, sought to carry on The Boss's will by covertly establishing his own organization. You knew the original members from Operation Snake Eater. From America, there was David Oh, or as he was to you, Major Zero. Donald Anderson, a.k.a. Sigint. Dr. Clark, who went by Para-Medic during the operation. And the fourth - you. From China, there was EVA. And me, Ocelot, from the Soviet Union. Six in total. To us, government notions of friend and foe were meaningless. As were East and West - we joined forces by our will alone. Our objective was to fulfill The Boss's dying wish. To make the world one. And to do it, Zero used the Philosophers' Legacy, the secret war fund you obtained during Operation Snake Eater. This organization would go on to become... Cipher. I on the other hand, was left with a problem. You only recovered half of the Legacy. I had to locate the other half myself. When I found the funds, I passed them on to Zero, just as you wanted. Ahab: I still trusted him in those days. Ocelot: We thought what he was doing was The Boss's will. Until he started that one project. Ahab: "Les enfants terribles," Zero called it. Ocelot: You parted ways. As did EVA, leaving only Anderson and Clark still with him. I maintained limited contact... Although, truth be told, we were just keeping tabs on one another. The reason was always you. After you returned to the Army and created FOXHOUND, you left America. For a time, even I'd lost track of you. I'd imagine Zero did too. You always were the best when it came to hide and seek. Where is Zero? Ocelot: Zero created Cipher, an information network to tap into every corner of the globe. Woven together, Cipher's arteries make the world just one big organism. And that's not all... It also monitors the thorn in Zero's side - that's you - tracking your coordinates wherever you night go. The further you strayed from your roots, the larger Zero became. It's as if he was trying to close the gap between you. But before long, he disappeared from public life. Only a few people had direct contact with him. For a time, I was one of them. Then, a year after you fell into your coma... He slipped out of sight entirely. Since then, nothing. No photos, no recordings, not even a reliable rumor as to his whereabouts. I tried every method I could think of, but... Zero was gone. Freed of his control, his creation - his power - continued to grow. Cipher is a great beast, and Zero was its spine. But even without him, it's endured - evolved. But now its body is rotting, riddled with parasites. Parasites like the ones who attacked you - nine years ago in the Caribbean, and then at the hospital. Cipher's black ops unit. XOF. They learned where you were... And came to wipe the slate clean. AFGHANISTAN TODAY 1 The Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan Ocelot: Christmas Eve, 1979. The Soviet Union rolled into Afghanistan. Muslims had revolted against the Soviet-friendly regime established the year before. The DRA forces could no longer contain it themselves, so the Soviets went in to intervene. The Afghan government was powerless, and fraught with in-fighting. They'd lost the hearts and minds of the people, and that alarmed the Soviet leadership. With the Islamic Revolution happening in lran, the Soviets felt they had to act fast or risk the spread of Islamic revivalism. A superpower, sending a motorized rifle division against men on horseback with antique rifles. Everyone thought it'd be over in an instant. Only it wasn't. Some Muslims made their fight a “jihad,” a holy-war; and began a guerrilla campaign on all fronts. A war of attrition. These fighters call themselves "Mujahideen." They're being supported by the West, through Pakistan. That's why Miller was involved. He was training them near the Zero Line, sponsored by the CIA. The war's become a nightmare for the Soviet troops stationed here. They thought they'd be headed home in six months at the most. Then a year passed. Two years... now here we are four years on with no exit in sight. Afghanistan has become the Soviet Union’s Vietnam. The Soviet Army’s Scorched Earth Operation Ocelot: The Soviet troops on the ground want to go home, but at least they have homes to go back to. The Afghans have lost theirs. The Soviets destroy the kishlaks - villages - wherever they can. They burn down homes and fields. fill in wells. Turn pastures into minefields. It's created a mass of refugees who've fled to Pakistan. If the Mujahideen are fish swimming around the villages, the Soviets will go so far as to dry out their ocean. But this has had a big price. There's bitter resentment among the Afghans, and they're taking out their anger on the soldiers on the front lines. Among the Mujahideen are the Pashtun people. They're fiercely devoted to their code of badal, or revenge. Soviets they've captured have had their hands, feet, and noses cut off, before being left to die at the side of the road. Just to show their comrades what they're capable of. Friendlies who come across them can do nothing but put them out of their misery. Then they burn down another village in retaliation. And the cycle of vengeance goes on. AFGHANISTAN TODAY 2 The Thread of The Soviet Gunships Ocelot: This war... The Kremlin never expected to have this much trouble against the Mujahideen. Afghanistan is a tribal society. Tradition demands that its people stand up to any outsiders who set foot on their land. With the honor of their people at stake, they have everything to fight for. No matter how hard the Soviets hit them, they continue to appear out of nowhere, striking back, then vanishing again. But there's one thing even the Mujahideen fear - every last one of 'em. The Soviet gunships. They're highly maneuverable and equipped with massive firepower. Plus, the underside of the fuselage is heavily armored. The Mujahideen can barely scratch them with their small arms. Anyone who hangs around gets mowed down by the gunships' heavy machine guns. This new Honey Bee weapon that was given to the Hamid fighters... it's no doubt something to help them strike back against the gunships. Which makes it a weapon that could change the course of the war. The Hamid Fighters Ocelot: Those guerilla fighters known as Mujahideen don't actually belong to a single organization. Afghanistan is a multiethnic country. You've got the Pashtuns, the Tajiks, Uzbeks, Hazaras... And each of them is split into their own tribes, large and small. Each ethnicity has several rebel organizations that their various tribes gather under. They're united under the banner of "jihad", but that doesn't mean they work like a single standing army. Just look at the area around Smasei Fort. A lot of Tajiks used to live there, but they fled after the Soviets started their scorched earth campaign. With the area uninhabited, the Hamid fighters, who are Pashtun, decided to move in. The Hamids are based out of the city of Peshawar. We passed through it on the western edge of Pakistan. The Pashtun people have long lived in Afghanistan and western Pakistan. They used to travel back and forth frequently. Then Britain went and established the border that still stands today. The Hamid fighters get generous support from the Pakistani government. The government wants to use them to secure influence over Afghanistan. Their liaison with the Hamids is Inter-Services Intelligence. And behind the ISI, you have the CIA. That's probably how the Honey Bee ended up in the hands of the Hamid men. AFGHANISTAN TODAY 3 Honey Bee Analysis Results Kazuhira Miller: I had the R&D Team analyze the Honey Bee. Ocelot: How? The CIA wanted it with everything intact. Kazuhira Miller: They took it apart to look at it. Then they put it back together. Everything intact. Ocelot: That's the R&D boys all right. Kazuhira Miller: Turns out the Honey Bee's homing capabilities are a cut above previous MANPADS. It can detect a broad range of infrared wavelengths, and even ultraviolet for supplementary guidance. Ocelot: Hence the name, huh? Kazuhira Miller: Right. Honey bees rely on UV light to fly. With this device, flares don't do the target any good. Ocelot: That's why the Soviets are losing so many gunships... Kazuhira Miller: And why the CIA were so desperate to get it back. It wasn't just about preventing the Soviets from devising countermeasures. What if the likes of Iran got their hands on it? Ocelot: American aircraft would be put at risk too... Kazuhira Miller: We can use this tech to develop our own portable missile. That'll give us a huge advantage. It'll take a little time before the analysis results can be apphilariouslied to actual implementation... But, we'll keep moving with the research. AT MOTHER BASE 1 The Mist Unit Ahab: Kaz, what about the unit that attacked us in that mist? You knew something about them. Kazuhira Miller: That wasn't my first run-in with them... It happened right before I was captured by the Soviets. We were on the Zero Line that day. The Afghan side. On our way back from training the Mujahideen at a mountain camp in Kunar Province. There's a lot of that work in Afghanistan. Most PFs shy away from it because it draws too much attention - but for us, that was the whole point. The job itself went great. We just had to make it back to a tribal area in Pakistan. But all of a sudden, visibility got real bad. It was no sandstorm. Our point man gave this strange report. He said he could see skulls in the mist. Ahab: Skulls… Kazuhira Miller: The next moment, he went silent. We scrambled into formation, right before his arms and legs came raining down on us. It was always supposed to be a dangerous mission, so I had Diamond Dogs' very best with me. We were calling out to each other, but one by one their voices just went dead. Whatever happened to me, I lost consciousness before I knew it. When I came to, I was in a Soviet camp, tied to an interrogation chair. Ahab: Could they be some new Spetsnaz unit? Kazuhira Miller: No, the ones that interrogated me were just the average rank and file. Whatever group attacked us, the way they moved was just insane. And that mist appearing out of nowhere... The Soviets don't have tech like that. Ahab: ...If they did, Ocelot would have heard about it. Kazuhira Miller: I doubt the West does either. Otherwise the folks at Langley would be sleeping a lot easier. Ahab: Why'd they come after you? Kazuhira Miller: Wish I knew. I'm the only one who survived. Though I don't think they planned it that way. If I was their target, they wouldn't have just handed me over to the 40th Army. Whatever the case, we need to watch our step until we know who they really are. And Boss. if you ever do run into them again, don't try to take them on. You just get the hell outta there. Cipher’s Will Kazuhira Miller: When I first started dealing with Zero… with Cipher... was a somewhat parasitic relationship. Though, a mutually beneficial one. Cipher had no army of their own. So they wanted us. They wanted our strength. They approached me as a potential business partner. Ahab: But they had other motives. Kazuhira Miller: Cipher coaxed us into Central America, U.S./Soviet proxy war, to fuel Mother Base's growth. Once we were big enough, they'd force us to join them. That was the plan. Ahab: That's why they had Paz steal ZEKE. Kazuhira Miller: Right. And if we refused, she would use ZEKE to fire a nuke from Mother Base. The world would consider us a liability, and countries would unite to destroy us. Ahab: We stopped the launch... Kazuhira Miller: And yet they still took us down, through that fake inspection they orchestrated to cover up their sabotage... That power Cipher wanted - we don't have it anymore. So why are they still after you? Is it just the fear of leaving you alive? Ahab: I don't know. Would Zero really... All I know is, the man I knew wouldn't want this. Kazuhira Miller: What do you mean? Ahab: We have to consider that it might not be Zero we're dealing with. Kazuhira Miller: We know virtually nothing about Cipher anymore - how big they've gotten, what they want, or even who they really are. Mother Base Reborn Kazuhira Miller: The new Mother Base started out as a test drilling rig operated by a mineral resources supplier. But, their project fell through. The Seychelles government was happy to hand the place over to us - it was just scrap on stilts. Ahab: Hmm. Kazuhira Miller: So, with a few dummy construction companies set up as fronts, we started renovating the half-finished rig. From the outside it looked like the project was back on rails... Ahab: Kaz, you... Kazuhira Miller: What? Ahab: I see what you're doing. Recreating the Mother Base we had nine years ago. Only this time... Kazuhira Miller: That’s right. The Mother Base Cipher thought they'd destroyed will return from the grave to kill them. We'll prove to the world that we were the victors. Ahab: And if we lose again? Kazuhira Miller: They can't fool us the same way twice. Now, our enemies are in plain sight, And when our organization gets too big, we split it across companies. Any company that draws attention gets liquidated, and its capital is back-channeled into a new company. Most PFs are small-time operations anyway, and in this business, the minnows go bankrupt all the time. We've never aroused suspicion. Plus, we have HEC. Ahab: HEC? Kazuhira Miller: HUMINT Exploitation Company. It's a business specializing in intel-gathering - think of it as a civilian intelligence agency. Ahab: Kaz, that's... Kazuhira Miller: Remember what they were trying to accomplish at that prison facility in Cuba? That gave me the idea. We dispatch moles into conflict zones and each sets up an intel network on-site. They then stay in place to give us stable points of contact when other nations intervene in the conflicts. HEC's strength is that it has a cut-out at each level. You get your job from one guy, then you hand it off to another. No-one has direct access - its a perfect black box. HEC members also work their way into the superpowers intelligence agencies, to make sure Diamond Dogs gets work. We have those countries by the balls. That's our deterrent when we need it. Ahab: Networking... in the intelligence community? Kazuhira Miller: Sure, that's how we've grown this far. And when you go out on missions, intel from HEC will be there to back you up. But despite all that, Cipher has its eyes on us. The only reason I'm not dead is that they needed to know where you were. Figured if you woke up, I'd go straight to you. Ahab: That's why you made that ruckus at the Zero Line... Kazuhira Miller: Yeah - to make their own think it took some of the surveillance work against them. I think it took some of the heat off Cyprus. Ahab: Kaz. Kazuhira Miller: Then I just had to wait for you to save me. And I've gotten used to waiting. Ahab: Kaz… Kazuhira Miller: That's not all - it was a good chance to scout the market. And with the West wanting the Soviets out of Afghanistan, their agencies are bursting at the seams with funding. Boss, let's start by building up our Afghan presence. Connection with the Seychelles Ahab: Why put Mother Base in the Seychelles? Kazuhira Miller: We're at the center of the world here. Ahab: We're all the way out in the Indian Ocean. Kazuhira Miller: Come on - Lebanon, Sri Lanka, East Timor... and Africa. From here, our reach extends to conflict zones the world over. Including Afghanistan, of course. Ahab: So it's prime real estate for a mercenary. Kazuhira Miller: Exactly. Latin America isn't as close as I'd like, but we have Amanda and her people to help in that department. And besides, the Seychelles government owes us a favor. Ahab: Owes us? Kazuhira Miller: The Seychelles has strong ties to the East, which the West wanted to shake up. It came to a head 3 years ago in an attempted coup. It was a force of South African mercenaries, with U.S. backing behind the scenes. They were only platoon size, but South Africa is home to some heavy PFs. Too much for the Seychelles to handle. In the end, they accepted help from the Tanzanian Army and quelled the coup. We set up the deal and handled on-site tactical instruction. That led to some training work for the Seychelles military, and when we put down a mutiny within their forces, well, we made a lot of people happy. They don't pay us, they just let us have a piece of their offshore territory on the promise we’ll come running. if something else happens. Ahab: So we're bodyguards, too. Kazuhira Miller: It's a good setup: we can only take Mother Base so far here. We'll have to find somewhere else when this place starts getting big. Ahab: Aren't you being a little hasty? Kazuhira Miller: Nothing hasty about it - you're back with us now. Whaling Ship "Heiwa Maru" Ahab: So Kaz, the ship that took us from Cyprus, it used to be a whaler? Kazuhira Miller: Yeah, a Japanese vessel. How was the voyage? Ahab: It was, uh, stimulating. Kazuhira Miller: She was part of a whaling fleet up until a few years ago. Her displacement isn't anything to write home about, but she can really move. She still had plenty of life left in her, but then the work dried up. Global opposition to whaling has been mounting for years. Ahab: Is that right? Kazuhira Miller: The push to ban it has been gaining traction for a little over a decade. Individual species cane under protection as the years went on, and then two years ago the IWC adopted a moratorium on commercial whaling. Several countries, including Japan, fought it to the bitter end, but eventually most whaling companies had no choice but to throw in the towel. You ever tried whale, Snake? Ahab: Can't say that I have. Kazuhira Miller: When I was a kid in Japan, practically everybody ate it. Ahab: That good, huh? Kazuhira Miller: The country was poor in those days, and whale was cheap. International opinion's changed since then. In any case, that's why we were able to get a bargain price on the ship. Of course, we did end up spending five times the purchase price in modifications. We had to really work to fit in all the ESM and communications gear while keeping the whaler look intact. Right now she's going around conducting SIGINT missions. In the future we plan to use her as a communications relay base between you and Mother Base, and also as a chopper resupply vessel. Origins of “Diamond” Kazuhira Miller: Diamond Dogs… The word "diamond" originally comes from the Greek "adamas." It means "indomitable,” “unyielding.” Other words for the stones often mean "eternal bond," "fortitude," or "purity.” The same is true of the Star-of-Bethlehem flowers you laid on The Boss's grave. They represent innocence, as well as chastity. Yielding to no nan while maintaining one's virtue - in order words, staying loyal to something. AT MOTHER BASE 2 Private Forces Ahab: Ocelot said the number of private forces is increasing, and they've modeled themselves after us. Kazuhira Miller: They're a far cry from the likes of us. Ahab: But why? Nine years ago, we made enemies of the world. As a nuclear-equipped force independent of ideology or state. Kazuhira Miller: Yes. Sooner or later, the real U.N. would have stepped in. Ahab: So why are they giving these PFs free rein? Kazuhira Miller: That's our fault too. Ahab: What do you mean? Kazuhira Miller: What happened nine years ago was a real problem for a lot of people. An organization as big as ours, with our facilities, was wiped off the map. Not an easy thing to hide. But if our existence came to light, so would the names of our clients. We had contracts all over. East and West... from superpowers to banana republics, the lot. Our clients denied all association with the likes of us - they had to make sure things didn't "blow up' on them. But at the same time, they missed us. They really missed us. The demand for "armies for hire" was as strong as ever. The international community turned a blind eye to what happened to us despite still needing people who could do our jobs. History couldn't afford to lose us. As soon as we were gone, they needed a replacement. So private forces spread everywhere, and they're all just a phone call away. Ahab: But still... Kazuhira Miller: I know - PFs are totally different from what we envisioned. Nation states, revolutionaries, terrorists... they have a lot of clients, and Cipher is one of them. Cipher stays anonymous, but I know their work when I see it. In the eyes of those clients, the world's PFs are all just expendable pawns. The clients don't have to worry about losing their own men, nobody knows they're involved, and PFs are cheap. In short, the world is chewing up soldiers and spitting them out. Even some of the old Mother Base's survivors are still working for PFs. Some guys created their own smaller forces, others were taken on by emerging PFs... Everybody's gone their separate ways. But none of them are living their dream, because they're not fighting with you. Of course, I tried to headhunt as many of 'em as I could for Diamond Dogs. It was all a waste of time. They said they weren't interested without you to lead them. But now you're back, and everything's gonna change. We'll unite all private forces under you. Transcending nations and economies. What is a nation? Just a patch of dirt. The bonds among us will surpass nations, and that's what'll put the world under our control. We'll establish a new kind of country - redefine the very concept of it. Even Cipher will be below us. An extraterritorial federation of military nations - the United States of Force. Big Boss, Back to Life Kazuhira Miller: Once word of Big Boss' return starts travelling, that'll be our true deterrent against Cipher. In other words, no-one will dare to come gunning for you. Ahab: How do you figure? Kazuhira Miller: Cipher lacks a large-scale fighting force. PFs are the perfect tool for them. But those PFs revere you, the legendary Big Boss. If Cipher killed you now, they wouldn't take it lying down. Maybe they'd even go looking for revenge... but they definitely wouldn't keep doing Cipher's dirty work, even if it put their lives at stake. That's why it's no longer of benefit to Cipher, to get rid of you. The very fact that you're alive is our greatest defense against Cipher. Ahab: Nice to know. It'll buy us some time while we get back to full strength. Kazuhira Miller: Just keep in mind that what I'm saying is generalizing a lot. In practice, the PFs around the world don't know your face. Just declaring that you're Big Boss won't be enough to convince them. And if they see you as an enemy, they'll come at you with everything they've got. Ahab: Some hero. Kazuhira Miller: That's why you need to bring them back to Mother Base. Show them on your terms that you really are the one and only Big Boss. Once you've proven that, they won't hesitate to join us. AT MOTHER BASE 3 Bionic Arm Kazuhira Miller: We were lucky to get our hands on that cyborg arm developer. There's no-one in Diamond Dogs who can so much as maintain that thing. Ocelot: Bionic arm, not cyborg. If you go by what he calls it. But you're right, the East is light-years ahead in bionics. They can even detect, through the-skin, the slight electrical signals from the brain that order muscles to move. The Soviet Union completed their first bionic arm capable of doing that back in the 60s. Although I guess that news didn't really reach the West... Kazuhira Miller: No kidding. Zadornov's was the only one I ever saw. Quite a shock to see it for the first time... Ocelot: And it was no mean feat to get hold of Snake's arm. I couldn't get one for you at the time, but you know, now... Kazuhira Miller: Forget it. I've no intention of relying on bionics. Right now I need to keep the pain fresh in my mind. Ocelot: Well, it's your decision... but don't you find it... ...inconvenient? Kazuhira Miller: Not a bit. But the phantom pain... It never lets up. Do you know how many men I saw die that day? There's nothing we can do to bring them back. And you expect me to care about getting a measly arm and leg back? ...Sorry. But my pain belongs to all our dead comrades. I'll keep living with it for their sake. It'll guide me straight and true until I've gotten them the vengeance they deserve. AT MOTHER BASE 4 Intel Team Kazuhira Miller: Diamond Dogs' Intel Team specializes in information gathering, mainly HUMINT and SIGINT. They plant scouts and moles in the field. These operatives will blend into the local populace and work under the guise of a resident, or disguise themselves as travelers and ask around for information. They observe targets using various hidden bugs, cameras, and transmitters, and by tapping their satellite and phone communications. Analyzing all this information creates a clear picture of how wars and the PFs fighting then are changing. This data can also be used for threat assessment when deciding whether to accept contracts from certain clients. And during missions, the Intel Team keeps track of target locations and produces FOM predictions... Reporting mission-critical information based on real-time remote observation of changes in the AU. What you hear from us over the radio is based on how we interpret the data gathered at the Command Platform. However, Intel Team operatives go unarmed in almost all situations, to avoid revealing themselves to the enemy. Some will carry a knife, but most have nothing at all. As such, don't expect them to help you fake on heavily-armed adversaries like PF soldiers. Think of them as entirely passive in the hot zone. Plus, they use all manner of techniques to remain inconspicuous in the field. If you EVER spot one... he'll have some serious explaining to do. So remember, their specialty is espionage. They may not be of use in a firefight... but when it comes to intel, they're pros. AT MOTHER BASE 5 Training D-Dog Ocelot: DD makes a pretty good partner, huh, Boss? Ahab: Too early to say. Ocelot: Yeah? Just seeing him come back makes me real proud. Ahab: What breed is he? He’s not a husky. Ocelot: Right. The Siberian husky is a cross between a spitz-type dog and a wolf, but I think DD might have some wolf blood in him too. He isn't just smart, he's also shown remarkable judgment. If he doesn't do what you want him to, he's just doing what he thinks is right in the situation. And he's steady under fire. Remember, he's no lap dog. But learn his strengths, and you'll understand each other soon enough. You'll make one hell of a team. Ahab: Ocelot - why'd you take it upon yourself to train him? Ocelot: Why? Ahab: Yeah. When's the last time you heard a wildcat raising a dog? Ocelot: I have an eye for 'em. I knew at first glance he'd make the right partner for you. Ahab: Hmph. Ocelot: And I figured it was about time he got out into the world. Ahab: So you passed him off on me. Ocelot: There, you see? I knew you liked him. Ahab: I don't know about that yet. And I still think he's trying to figure me out too. Ocelot: Spend some more time with him. You'll see how helpful he can be. Ahab: What about you? Ocelot: I prefer to work alone. Ahab: Ocelots don't hunt in packs? Ocelot: Yeah, something like that. Anyway, I'm glad you like him. DD's really taken to you too - and to going on your 'walks." Don't be shy about taking him with you in the future. Ahab: I'll think about it. AT MOTHER BASE (Supplemental 1) (this tape not yet obtained in the game, will be added later) AT MOTHER BASE (Supplemental 2) (this tape not yet obtained in the game, will be added later) WHAT HAPPENED TO OLD MOTHER BASE MEMBERS Chico and Amanda Strangelove Kazuhira Miller: Amanda told us that Strangelove contacted her after the revolutionaries came to power in Nicaragua. Strangelove... The A.l. Researcher from Mother Base? Ahab: I remember her. Kazuhira Miller: We'd lost touch with her, until Amanda heard from her out of the blue. She told Amanda she wanted to salvage Peace-Walker's drive parts or something from the bottom of Lake Nicaragua. Amanda passed the request onto her friends in the new administration. She's a national hero now, after all. So Strangelove got a Soviet military aircraft to transport something to somewhere. But apparently the cargo wasn't big enough to have been Peace Walker itself. Ahab: So what was it? Kazuhira Miller: Who knows. We recovered Peace Walker's nuclear warhead ourselves nine years ago. What could Strangelove have been after? Amanda said she didn't mention what her reason was or where she was headed. Nicaragua is a socialist state now. And with Amanda vouching for her, the government didn't feel the need to concern itself with the details. All Strangelove told Amanda, was that she was going to continue her research. And that the rest was "a secret." Huey Kazuhira Miller: Right before the attack, Huey was in the control tower to prepare for the inspectors. He was with them when it all went down. The control tower collapsed with the rest of its strut. His body was never recovered. But he was the one who met the inspection party when they arrived. And he was the one who showed the "nuclear inspectors" to the tower. You remember the way it went. First he recommends we agree to the inspection, then he gives them the OK without our permission, all the time acting as if he was doing us a favor. On top of that, he even had the guards disarmed that day. "It would send the wrong message," he said. Whatever the angle, it all leads back to Huey. ...I curse my own stupidity for not realizing sooner. Huey escaped with that unit by chopper. I've been hunting him for nine long years. The other reason I was operating around Afghanistan was to dig up his location. Category:Blog posts